Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Flash.. on March 02, 2012, 10:39:33 am
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Presuming you knock the door before starting work
I say something like " Morning window cleaner, alright to carry on?" which I think makes it easy for them to say no give it a miss this time. What do you say, or do you just carry on which I am starting to think might be a good policy as they have already agreed/asked you to clean them? But I think its polite to let them know you are around saving any embarassing incidents ;)
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Never.
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Never.
Same ^^^
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Always as it's courtesy but I would not ask an open ended question which as you say does give them an opportunity to possibly decline, I usually just say hello and have usually dragged half my hose out and have brush in my hand, I have had the odd one who does say "is it ok not to have them cleaned this month" I then say sorry I can't as you have not given me enough notice to fill the time slot with another customer.
Graham
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Always as it's courtesy but I would not ask an open ended question which as you say does give them an opportunity to possibly decline, I usually just say hello and have usually dragged half my hose out and have brush in my hand, I have had the odd one who does say "is it ok not to have them cleaned this month" I then say sorry I can't as you have not given me enough notice to fill the time slot with another customer.
Graham
time out over a month how much time you waste doing this, you will be surprised I used to do this but I stopped for the following reasons:
Wasted time standing there when could have started and finish quicker
customers sometimes said can you leave it this time
stand there waiting and no answer (wasting time)
they are three that comes straight to mind which is enough not to knock first.
Now we start then knock, still curtious and cuts down on wasted time, if customer comes out and says not this time (which is very rare) we offer to clean the front only at min charge as we have already started, they normally just say oh do them all if not at least we have not cost time and money.
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If the customer knows your coming then there's no need to knock.
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If you knock first how are you going to catch them sunbathing in the nude :o :o ;D ;D
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defo NO from me.i just turn up and start cleaning every month,6 weeks,2 monthly.whatever the agreed frequency is.im roughly on schedule every month give or take a few days.
i do book the odd clean in esp if im cleaning inside.i had a posh house to clean inside and out this morning booked in for 9am.all done!easy morning!weekend off now!!happy days!! ;D ;D ;D ;D
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no never. time is money dont want to be standing waiting on someone to answer the door. would have half the house done by the time it takes some people to answer the door.
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I have just refused to take on 2 Asian customers who wanted me to knock first, and if they wern't in wanted me to leave them,told them to try another window cleaner as that's not how I work.
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I don't bother knocking.
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dont mess about if they have it monthly do it monthly if it fortnightly they should know when you are coming
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Never.
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never knock... unless its the first clean when we will.
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i dont knock first as a lot of mine come out to pay me saving me time standing at the door waiting,
altough i pulled up to clean a house this week only done it 3 times up to now and she was outside painting the gates which were closed so said do you want windows doing luv,she said no ok thanks,i should of put it another way realy so she couldnt say no but not fussed now shes dumped
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I have just refused to take on 2 Asian customers who wanted me to knock first, and if they wern't in wanted me to leave them,told them to try another window cleaner as that's not how I work.
I've been asked similar and replied similarly.
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only if they have to give me access to rear of property through
garages etc
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I knock on 1 door out of all of mine ... an old lady of a very nervous disposition but never had a leave it this time.
No need to knock otherwise as you agreed a price and frequency with em so why bother.
In parts of Liverpool the challenge is to get the brush on the glass before they come out and say leave it this time
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I have a few i knock first, sometimes i wish i just carried on as it does give them chance to say not this time.
But most of the ones i do knock i knock for a reason, ie cant get over the gate, or need to go thru garage/house.
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Always knock, you are on private property. Common decency and respect. If I had a window cleaner he would be dumped on the first clean if he wouldn't knock first. It's just rude to go into someone's gardens/private property without knocking first. You aren't asking permission, as said you are there on agreed frequency. I don't do "not todays". I still knock out of politeness. Every property, no matter how small or big.
Incredible some of these replies lol. :o :D
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You knock every single house ???
Dear me id never get any done lol
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You knock every single house ???
Dear me id never get any done lol
Yup, every house. There is a difference between "having a conversation" and knocking and saying "hi, how are you, I'm just gonna start cleaning the windows." 30 seconds tops. Most people answer the door quickly. I usually give them the yellow slip as well. :)
My hose usually always goes past the front door, or near enough.
Besides, I do believe in having customer interaction, doesn't have to be much, but it makes a big difference.
It feels like I'm on a different planet here. Seriously lol. ;D
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If front only, just knock when finished, leave the door to do as custy faffs getting money.
If all round do front then knock to tell em done front and going round back just as courtesy/privacy, as custy might be in garden, don't want anyone having heart attack ;)
Main reason gives custy chance to pay then or be ready to pay when knock on finish.
Always makes me laugh as when knock the 2nd time never have money ready :(
Women ;D
ps. If you have to say anything it's hello window cleaner just making a start/finished.... whatever.
I use to hear myself saying is it ok? ;D
Not now.
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Nice Script Lee I thihk the "Just making a start" quote is winning, I must be a whimp but I feel better knocking first.
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nope never have and never will, did get asked to knock before I cleaned once, I said ok and 2 years later I have still never knocked her door
I have a bad payer that wants me to knock but I won't I just walk straight past her flat and if she is in she has to chase me, give me money up front or I just keep walking and no clean
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You knock every single house ???
Dear me id never get any done lol
Yup, every house. There is a difference between "having a conversation" and knocking and saying "hi, how are you, I'm just gonna start cleaning the windows." 30 seconds tops. Most people answer the door quickly. I usually give them the yellow slip as well. :)
My hose usually always goes past the front door, or near enough.
Besides, I do believe in having customer interaction, doesn't have to be much, but it makes a big difference.
It feels like I'm on a different planet here. Seriously lol. ;D
why you on a different planet ??? id say 5% of windys at the most knock before they clean, why bother never had a customer tell me 'can you knock first please,they no who you are straight as they see you,just wasteing time imo,
some weirdos on here ;D
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Since 1985 when i very first started window cleaning (for the first time) never never never never ever have i knocked the door
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if i knocked the front door my custies would be hiding behind the couch thinking i am chasing them for the money
the only time i chap the door is for the dosh
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Since 1985 when i very first started window cleaning (for the first time) never never never never ever have i knocked the door
I was born 1985 ;D
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I knock on their bedroom window with my brush. ;D
Last time I checked I was on planet earth, where grafters get on with grafting and leave the faffers to their faffing. ;)
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We always knock! It's just rude of you don't!
Don't stand there and chat. Just pull the gear out tap on the door and start cleaning. Don't even wait for an answer but a simple knock is courteous.
The guy that got me into window cleaning never knocked and by the time I was round the back of the house and cleaning. I would normally have had someone jumping out their skin then giving me a dirty look. I would have a pop at a window cleaner if he done it at my house
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it seems rude not to knock when your on their property. we used to, but found it wasted time if they end up talking etc, tho sometimes they pay you there and then too.
we found a lot found it strange you knocking, like it didn't matter, just get on with it already.
so we just knock on a couple of older ones cus they like it/probs with nerves. made me think tho whether we should be knocking more, don't even have to hang around, they will look out and see the van/reels.
but I guess seeing as it's not broke, and it's working not knocking....
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Always knock, you are on private property. Common decency and respect. If I had a window cleaner he would be dumped on the first clean if he wouldn't knock first. It's just rude to go into someone's gardens/private property without knocking first. You aren't asking permission, as said you are there on agreed frequency. I don't do "not todays". I still knock out of politeness. Every property, no matter how small or big.
Incredible some of these replies lol. :o :D
i knock every time, as above
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Since 1985 when i very first started window cleaning (for the first time) never never never never ever have i knocked the door
I was born 1985 ;D
he was also your milkman ;) bet ya head spinning right round now lol
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The daft thing is that I've been "told off" more for knocking than for not knocking. Living and working within the catchment area of Gatwick Airport means that I have a higher than usual number of shift workers on my books. I feel that I am being more polite if I don't knock because I don't want to risk waking them.
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we knock and start .
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I agree I knock on a couple you just know which ones to and what ones nt 2 iv gt a couple of women who are home all day I mean I'd love to catch em naked as I get to the bedroom window but I don't think they would like it I knock as I walk past front door and it just alerts them I'm there usually they will just wave through window or occasionally they come to door an I say hi just letting u knw I'm here I'm normally half way up ladder so I don't think ther is a time factor? why would there be an issue over cleaning them if they said not today ? Why would they say this iv had it a couple of times for other silly reasons and iv said dah dada da da darrrr dumped
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Nice Script Lee I thihk the "Just making a start" quote is winning, I must be a whimp but I feel better knocking first.
No not a whimp just being polite, Ucky, if their a Messer then doesn't matter if you knock first or not.
You probabley get more cups of tea that way ;)
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Always knock, you are on private property. Common decency and respect. If I had a window cleaner he would be dumped on the first clean if he wouldn't knock first. It's just rude to go into someone's gardens/private property without knocking first. You aren't asking permission, as said you are there on agreed frequency. I don't do "not todays". I still knock out of politeness. Every property, no matter how small or big.
Incredible some of these replies lol. :o :D
You're on Private Property with the express permission of the householder confirmed by a verbal contract or if you're very astute a written one.
Should the dustbin men, milkman, postman etc knock when they arrive at unspeakably early times?
Many people today, even in the South West, simply don't have enough time or the desire to be bothered by anyone.
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I have never had a customer come out to me and ask why I didn't knock first.
So that to me suggests that I don't need to.
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Pole to window and water on as I knock to alert. Usually a thumbs up through the window. But I always start a second or two before I knock.
Only knock so as not to scare them!
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Always knock, you are on private property. Common decency and respect. If I had a window cleaner he would be dumped on the first clean if he wouldn't knock first. It's just rude to go into someone's gardens/private property without knocking first. You aren't asking permission, as said you are there on agreed frequency. I don't do "not todays". I still knock out of politeness. Every property, no matter how small or big.
Incredible some of these replies lol. :o :D
You're on Private Property with the express permission of the householder confirmed by a verbal contract or if you're very astute a written one.
Should the dustbin men, milkman, postman etc knock when they arrive at unspeakably early times?
Many people today, even in the South West, simply don't have enough time or the desire to be bothered by anyone.
They don't exactly walk through the back gate, put a ladder up against the bedroom window do they?
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Always knock, you are on private property. Common decency and respect. If I had a window cleaner he would be dumped on the first clean if he wouldn't knock first. It's just rude to go into someone's gardens/private property without knocking first. You aren't asking permission, as said you are there on agreed frequency. I don't do "not todays". I still knock out of politeness. Every property, no matter how small or big.
Incredible some of these replies lol. :o :D
i knock every time, as above
Same as above
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Never knock though i did first time with some bought work,more importantly the customers do not expect it,its a window cleaners privilege!
I`d probably dump a customer that asked me to knock first and that means i`d get 2 more that don`t so its a no lose situation.
I always thought it was an unwritten rule. Think about it in detail there are so many reasons not to knock,yes its courteous but you`ve already shown courtesy by bothering to turn up and clean their windows for a pittance and the dirty low life window cleaner is expected to be lacking in a few social skills.I prefer my customers to regard me as a neccessary evil,never daring to turn me away and begrudgingly accepting my price increases.
This dump 1-get 2 more formula is fantastic,all my customers live on a precipice at the moment.
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To be honest if I get asked to knock first the alarm bells start to ring as I think they'll be the not today sort of customer and I don't even put them on my books.
We've never knocked; we do a lot of flats, big blocks with intercoms. I'm buggared if I'm going to spend ten minutes stood by the main entrance buzzing everyone first.
They've asked me to call each month so I call each month. Anyway, most of my customers are at work when I call; I can only assume that the knock every time lads clean a lot of doley houses lol ;D
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When I had my round in England, I didn't need to knock before starting. Here in Ireland it's a completely different world as far as window cleaning goes.
Most of my customers I have to knock, as many are of the 'not today' or 'can you come back next week' brigade. I almost expect them to turn me away, but as I am still building my business up, I am rolling with the punches at the moment as I need the work. A few however, are happy for me to just turn up and work away.
It can be very frustrating at times, but by my reckoning, once I have enough good, reliable customers, I will be able to sort the wheat from the chaff and build a decent business here.
John
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Never knock though i did first time with some bought work,more importantly the customers do not expect it,its a window cleaners privilege!
I`d probably dump a customer that asked me to knock first and that means i`d get 2 more that don`t so its a no lose situation.
I always thought it was an unwritten rule. Think about it in detail there are so many reasons not to knock,yes its courteous but you`ve already shown courtesy by bothering to turn up and clean their windows for a pittance and the dirty low life window cleaner is expected to be lacking in a few social skills.I prefer my customers to regard me as a neccessary evil,never daring to turn me away and begrudgingly accepting my price increases.
This dump 1-get 2 more formula is fantastic,all my customers live on a precipice at the moment.
Top post Sean - even my wife laughed! ;D